Frequently asked questions about the Benedictine Office Part II

Continuing on my list of frequently asked questions about the Benedictine Office....this time about the shape of the Office itself.

1.  How many times of prayer are there in the traditional Benedictine Office?

St Benedict specified that he wanted his monks to pray seven times through the day, and again at night.

The seven day hours are known as Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers and Compline; the Night Vigil is known as Matins.

Although these different prayer times are called 'hours', with the exception of the Night Vigil, their actual length is mostly much shorter than that, ranging from 5-10 minutes (for Terce, Sext and None) to around 45 minutes for sung Lauds.  

2. Why does the Benedictine Office still include Prime when this was abolished by Vatican II?

 Vatican II's prescriptions concerned the Roman Office, not the Benedictine.

While some Benedictine monasteries have eliminated Prime in order to stay in sync with the modern Roman Office, the traditional Benedictine Office legitimately retains the structure set out by the founder.

3.  What do the hours consist of?

The core of the Benedictine Office is the psalms. 

Each hour of the Benedictine Office includes a hymn, short verse of Scripture (called the 'chapter'), a prayer, and other texts. 

The main component of each of the hours, though, is the psalms.

St Benedict organised his Office to ensure that all of the psalms are said each week, but with some of the ones he regarded as more important are repeated each day.

4.  Do you have to say all of the 'hours'?

Unless you are a priest or religious you don't have to say all or indeed any of them each day: you can decide for yourself which hours to say.

A good way to start is Prime and Compline, as these provide a good morning and evening prayer and are the simplest to say.

5.  At what time are the hours said?

Traditionally, Lauds is said at first light, before dawn; Prime before work;  Terce, mid-morning; Sext at  noon; None in mid-afternoon; Vespers in the early evening before sunset; and Compline before bed. 

 

Matins (not in a Diurnal) is said in darkness (traditionally in the very early morning).

You can, however, be reasonably flexible about the times you say them at.  

Although St Benedict was pretty insistent on starting Lauds at first light, because the hour links the rising sun with the Resurrection, he was prepared to move most of the other hours around a bit to fit the needs of the particular monastery, and modern practice is more flexible still.

6.  Can the Benedictine Office be said silently?

The traditional Benedictine Office is meant to be sung in Latin, ideally in choir (although St Benedict does make provision for it to be performed alone when on a journey or too far from the chapel).  

Several monasteries provide podcasts of the main hours that you can listen to in order to get a flavour of its full effect.

Most monasteries do, however, sing at least some of the hours 'recto tono', or on one note, rather than with full chant, and this can be a good option for laypeople performing the Office alone.

But it is also permissible to say it silently (provided your mouth forms the words), or purely mentally as a devotional exercise.

Next up

Do let me know if you have other questions you would like answered.

The next post in this series covers Books for the Office.

This week in the Office....

The coming week is the second of Advent, and you can find Ordo notes for it here.

And don't forget that if you would like more detailed notes  on how to say the Benedictine Office for each day of the liturgical year, you can purchase the Ordo from Lulu.

This week features a number of important feasts, including:

• St Nicolas (Dec 6);
  
• St Ambrose (Dec 7);
  
• the Immaculate Conception (Dec 8); and
  
• St Damasus (Dec 11).
  

Note that for a third class feast of a saint, as for St Ambrose, the default rubrics are that at Lauds and Vespers the antiphons and psalms are of the day of the week, but all the other texts are taken from the relevant Common.  At Prime to None, however, the antiphons are also taken from the Common.

In addition, when the Advent day is displaced by a feast, a commemoration of the day is made at both Lauds and Vespers, using the relevant canticle antiphon, versicle and collect.

Accordingly, the full notes in the printed Ordo for Tuesday December 7 this year are as follows:

Tuesday 7 December – St Ambrose, Class III 

Matins: Two nocturns, with invitatory, hymn, chapter and versicle of a Confessor Bishop; readings 1&2 of the Advent day (combine readings 2&3, omit responsory 2); reading 3, responsory and collect of the feast. 

Lauds: Chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle and Benedictus antiphon of the Common of a Confessor Bishop, MD (64)/AM 659 ff; collect of the feast, MD [10]/AM 760; commemoration of the Advent day, antiphon, MD 27*/AM 200, versicle and collect, MD 11*/AM 198. 

Prime: Antiphon 1 of Lauds of the Common, MD (64)/AM 657. 

Terce to None: Antiphon, chapter and versicle of the Common, MD (67-8)/AM 662-3; collect of the feast, MD [10]/AM 760. 

1 Vespers of the Immaculate Conception: Festal psalms of the BVM (Ps 109, 112, 121 & 126), MD (119); antiphons, chapter, responsory, hymn, versicle, Magnificat antiphon and collect, MD [11]/AM 761 ff; for the commemoration of the Advent day, antiphon, MD 27*/AM 200, versicle, MD 17*/AM 183; and collect, MD 11*/AM 198.

Frequently asked questions about the Benedictine Office - Part I

 

Let nothing be put before the Work of God.

Rule of St Benedict, ch 43

I recently had some correspondence with someone attempting to use my Ordo to say the Roman 1962 Office instead of the Benedictine - something of a challenge, I would have thought, given that there are significant differences between the two forms of the Office!

Accordingly, I thought it might be timely to revise some of my Learn the Benedictine Office notes and seek comments on them with a view to putting them in book form for those that want them in hard copy format.

And I thought it might be good to start with some basics about the Benedictine Office itself, in the form of some frequently asked questions.  

Part I is about the Office itself and how it differs from the Roman; Part II is about the structure of the Benedictine Office; and Part III about the books used for it.

If you have other questions you would like answered, or comments/suggestions on my answers, please do post a comment!

1.  How old is the Benedictine Office?

The traditional form of the Benedictine Office, still followed by some monasteries today, was described by St Benedict in his Rule which was written in the first half of the sixth century (probably in the 520s).

But many of the elements of it go back much further, reflecting ancient Jewish and Apostolic traditions, early monastic practice, and many other influences, including those of the Roman Church of the time.

The rubrics for the Office have developed over time, for example to take account of new feasts, but the basic structure of the 'hours', including the psalms said at each hour and day, remains unchanged from the prescriptions in St Benedict's Rule. 

2. Do all Benedictine Monasteries use the Benedictine Office as described in the Rule?

No.  After Vatican II, permission was granted for Benedictines to experiment with different forms of the Office, and that 'ad experimendum' period has not been formally concluded.  

As a result, most modern Benedictine monasteries use different distributions of the psalter to that set out in the Rule, consistent with the guidance on the limits to this, most particularly the 1977 Thesaurus Liturgiae Horarum Monasticae. 

The 1962 Monastic Breviary remains the official form of the Office for the Order however.

3.  How similar are the Benedictine and Roman Offices?

Although there are similarities between them, there are significant differences between the calendar, rubrics, organisation of the psalter, and structure and content of the individual hours between the Benedictine and Roman 1962 Offices.

While the Roman Office has been revised several times down the centuries (including two significant changes to the organisation of the psalter in the twentieth century), the Benedictine Office, at least until our own time, has always been guided by the prescriptions for it set out in the Rule.

As a result, the Benedictine office has always used a different (one week) distribution of the psalms to the Roman, and there are differences in the structure of the individual hours.

Similarly, while the Benedictine Office has adopted many of the rubrical changes of the Roman Office over time, there are some important differences between them.

4. What calendar and rubrics does the Monastic Diurnal use?

The Monastic Diurnal largely (but not entirely) follows the weekly liturgical cycle of the (1962) Extraordinary Form Mass.

The 1962 Monastic Breviary for the Benedictine Congregation, though, has its own approved calendar.

Many feasts celebrated in the Roman calendar are not included in the Monastic, and some monastic feasts are not celebrated in the Roman.  In some cases, feasts common to both are celebrated with different levels of solemnity. 

5.  Is the Benedictine Office according to the 1962-3 rubrics (and approved variants used by individual monasteries) an approved form of the Liturgy of the Hours, the official prayer of the Church?

The Benedictine Office is a form of the Liturgy of the Hours, the public prayer of the Church, approved for use by the Benedictine Confederation.

While many modern Benedictine monasteries use different versions of the Office, consistent with the permissions to experiment granted after Vatican II, and subsequent guidance on the limits to this, most particularly the 1977 Thesaurus Liturgiae Horarum Monasticae, the 1962 Monastic Breviary remains the official form of the Office for the Order.

Quick reference guide - Advent week days to December 16

 

Matins

 

Opening as usual (Domine labia mea aperies…)

Psalm 3

Invitatory antiphon for Advent (MB 14), Regem venturum Dominum with Ps 94

Hymn for Advent: Verbum supernum prodiens

Nocturn I: psalms and antiphons of the day

Versicles for Advent, MB 14

3 readings and responsories (for the particular day and week of Advent)

Nocturn II: psalms and antiphons of the day

Chapter and versicle for Advent

Closing prayers

 

Lauds

 

Opening prayers and invitatory psalms as usual

Psalms and antiphons of the day (up until 17 December)

Chapter, responsory and hymn for Advent, MD 9*

Canticle antiphon for the day and week of Advent

Collect of the previous Sunday, MD 11*

 

Prime

 

Opening prayers

Antiphon for week of Advent: Week I (Iucundare/Be glad), MD 13*

Psalms of day

Chapter, versicle and closing prayers as usual

 

Terce

 

Opening prayer and hymn as usual;

Antiphons for the week of Advent (Week I, Urbs/Sion), MD 13*;

Psalms for day;

Chapter and versicle for Advent, MD 14* or psalter;

Closing prayers as usual;

Collect of the week, MD 11*

 

Sext

 

Opening prayer and hymn as usual;

Antiphons for the week of Advent (Week I, Ecce/Behold), MD 14*;

Psalms for day;

Chapter and versicle for Advent, MD 14* or psalter;

Closing prayers as usual;

Collect of the week, MD 11*

 

None

 

Opening prayer and hymn as usual;

Antiphons for the week of Advent (Week I, Ecce/Behold), MD 15*;

Psalms for day;

Chapter and versicle for Advent, MD 15* or psalter;

Closing prayers as usual;

Collect of the week, MD 11*

 

Vespers

 

Opening prayers as usual

Psalms and antiphons of the psalter

Chapter, responsory, hymn and versicle of Advent, MD 15*- 17*

Magnificat antiphon for the day and week of Advent/Magnificat

 

Compline

 

Starts MD 25

Marian Antiphon: Alma Redemptoris Mater, MD 265

Quick Reference Guide for the daily Office - Sundays in Advent up to the Third Sunday

 For those wanting the page numbers for the 'Ordinary' texts...

Sunday Matins

Not found in the Diurnal, refer to the Monastic Breviary.

Note:

Invitatory antiphon: from Sunday I to Sunday III Regem venturum

                                From Sunday III to 23 December, Prope est

Hymn: Verbum supernum

Nocturns I&II: Antiphons of Advent, readings and responsories of the Sunday of Advent

Nocturn III: Canticles of Advent

Sunday Lauds (at first light)

• Starts MD 37;
• Psalm schema 1: Psalms 50, 117, (jump over 92, 99), 62, then canticle, Psalms 148-150;
• Antiphons, chapter, hymn (Vox clara), versicle and Benedictus antiphon and collect of [the Sunday of] Advent

Sunday Prime (early morning)

• Starts  MD 146;
• Antiphon is the first antiphon of Lauds of the Sunday
• Concluding prayers MD 8;
• Note that the ‘Capitular Office’ said in monasteries (including the reading of the Rule and the Martyrology) is not included in the Diurnal.

Sunday Terce (mid-morning)

• Opening prayers MD 151;
• Hymn Nunc Sancte MD 151;
• Antiphon (said before and after psalms) is the second antiphon of Lauds;
• Psalms MD 152-154;
• Chapter from Lauds
• Versicle for the Sunday; 
• Closing prayers as at MD 154 (from Kyrie);
• Collect for the particular Sunday.

Sunday Sext (noon)

• Starts  MD 155;
• Antiphon 3 of Lauds
• Chapter and versicle of the particular Sunday
• Collect set for the particular Sunday.

Sunday None (mid-afternoon)

• Starts MD 159;
• Antiphon 5 of Lauds
• Chapter and versicle of the Sunday
• Collect set for the particular Sunday.

Sunday Vespers (evening)

• Starts MD 203 (opening prayer as on MD 1);
• Antiphons as for I Vespers of the particular Sunday;
• Sunday psalms
• Chapter, responsory and hymn as for I Vespers
• Antiphon for the Magnificat (MD 209) for II Vespers of the Sunday
• Concluding prayers MD 210-11 with collect of the Sunday (or feast)

Sunday Compline (before bed)

• Starts MD 257;
• Marian antiphon: Alma Redemptoris Mater, MD 265

Notes on the Office: Advent up to December 16

Advent starts this coming week, and is a particularly challenging time in the Office.

Where to put your ribbons....

the first thing to do to prepare is make sure you have your ribbons properly positioned!

In particular, you need to keep one ribbon on:

• the Ordinary of Advent (in the Proper of the Season section at the front of the Diurnal) for the relevant hour;
• the collect of the week (unless displaced by a saints feast or Ember Day); 
• the page for the canticle antiphons of the day of the Advent week at Lauds and Vespers;
• the saints section of your book; and
• the relevant parts of the psalter section of your book for the particular hour you are saying.

Key things to remember

On Sundays there are ‘proper’ texts for all hours, set out in the Proper of the Season (temporale) section of the Farnborough edition of the Monastic Diurnal (MD) or Breviary (MB) for the relevant Sunday.

Remember that at Lauds and Vespers, the chapters, hymns and other texts in the psalter section of your book are replaced by those for the season.  

And at Prime to None, the antiphons are of the week of Advent (ie the first, second, third and fifth antiphons of the previous Sunday's Lauds).

On feast days, a commemoration of Advent, consisting of the canticle antiphon (of the Advent day), versicle (of the season) and collect of the Advent week (in that order), is normally made at both Lauds and Vespers.

Ordo 21: 28 November to 31 December 2021

Below find notes on the Ordo for the Benedictine Office according to the 1962 rubrics from the first Sunday of Advent to the end of December.  You can also find these notes via the Current month's Ordo page on the blog.

Page references are to the St Michael's Abbey editions of the Monastic Diurnal (MD).

For more detailed instructions on how to say the Benedictine Office, please go here.

And you can obtain more detailed Ordo notes here. 

28 Nov – First Sunday of Advent, Cl I

 MD 4* ff.

Mon 29 Nov – Class III; St Saturninus, Memorial 

Ordinary of Advent, MD 9* ff; canticle antiphons, MD 17*; collect, MD 11*; for the com., MD [385]. 

Tues 30 November – St Andrew, Class II 

MD [2] 

Wed 1 Dec - Class III 

Canticle antiphons, MD 18*. 

Thurs 2 Dec – Class III; St Peter Chrysologus, Memorial 

Canticle ants, MD 18*; commem. at Lauds, MD [8-9]. 

Fri 3 Dec – Class III; St Francis Xavier, Memorial 

Canticle ants, MD 19*; commmem. at Lauds, MD [9]. 

Sat 4 Dec – Class III 

Canticle ant, MD 19*;Vespers of the following, MD 19* ff.

 5 Dec – Second Sunday of Advent, Class I

 MD 22* ff. 

6 Dec – Monday Advent wk 2, Class III; St Nicholas, Memorial 

Cant ants, MD 26-7*; commem.at Lauds, MD [9-10]. 

Tues 7 Dec – St Ambrose, Class III 

MD [10] with commem. of the feria, MD 27*. 

Wed 8 Dec – Im. Conception of the BVM, Cl I 

MD [13] ff; commem. of the feria, MD 27*. 

9 Dec – Thurs Advent wk 2, Class III 

Canticle antiphons, MD 27-8*. 

10 Dec – Fri Advent wk 2, Class III 

Canticle antiphons, MD 28*. 

Sat 11 Dec – Sat Advent wk 2, Cl III; St Damasus, Memorial 

MD 28*, and commem. at Lauds, MD [17-8]; 1 Vespers of following, MD 28* ff.

12 December – Third Sunday of Advent, Cl I

 MD 31* ff. 

Mon 13 Dec – St Lucy, Class III 

MD [18] ff; commem. of the feria, MD 41-2*. 

14 Dec – Tues in Advent wk 3, Class III 

Canticle antiphons, MD 42*/AM 221-2. 

Wed 15 Dec – Ember Wednesday, Class II 

MD 42-3*. 

16 Dec – Thurs in Advent wk 3, Class III 

Canticle antiphons, MD 43*. 

17 Dec – Ember Friday, Class II 

Ants: MD 39-40*; Benedictus and collect,MD 44*; Magnificat, O Sapientia, MD 35*. 

Sat 18 Dec – Ember Saturday, Class II 

Ants for the psalms: MD 40-1*; Benedictus antiphon and collect, MD 44*; Vespers of the following with Magnificat antiphon, O Adonai, MD 35*.

Sun 19 Dec – Fourth Sunday of Advent, Class I

 MD 48* ff. 

Mon 20 Dec – Monday in the fourth week of Advent, Class II 

Antiphons for the psalms, MD 37*; Benedictus antiphon, MD 52*; Magnificat, O Clavis David, MD 36*. 

Tues 21 Dec – St Thomas, Class II 

MD [22-3]; commem. of the Advent day at Lauds and Vespers (Benedictus antiphon, Nolite timere, MD 43*; Magnificat antiphon, O Oriens, MD 36*). 

Wed 22 Dec – Wednesday in the fourth week of Advent, Class II 

Antiphons for the psalms: MD 38-9*; Benedictus antiphon, MD 53*; Magnificat, O Rex gentium, MD 36*. 

Thursday 23 Dec – Thursday in fourth week of Advent, Class II 

Antiphons for the psalms: MD 39*; Benedictus antiphon, Ecce completa sunt, MD 41*; Magnificat antiphon, O Emmanuel, MD 36*.  

Friday 24 Dec – Vigil of the Nativity, Class I 

MD 54* ff. 

END OF ADVENT/START OF THE SEASON OF CHRISTMAS (NATIVITYTIDE) 

1 Vespers of the following, MD 58 ff. 

Compline: Marian antiphon Alma redemptoris henceforward. 

Sat 25 Dec – The Nativity of Our Lord, Class I with a Class II Octave

MD 61* ff.

Sun 26 Dec – Sunday within the Octave of the Nativity, Class II; Commemoration of St Stephen, Protomartyr [OF: Holy Family]

 MD 77* ff. 

Mon 27 Dec – St John the Evangelist, Class II; Commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity

 MD 90* ff. 

Tues 28 Dec – Holy Innocents, Class II; Commemoration of the Octave of the Nativity

 MD 97* ff. 

Wed 29 Dec – Fifth Day within the Octave of the Nativity, Class II [In some places, St Thomas Becket, Class I or Commemoration] 

MD 103*. 

Thursday 30 Dec – Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity, Class II 

MD 103*. 

Fri 31 Dec – Seventh Day within the Octave, Class II; Commemoration of St Sylvester 

MD 103-4*.